Owari no Genwaku
by Desrani Sho
Summary: Dusk was the end of life, some would say, just like dawn was the beginning of one. Shin could say otherwise as it was the Dusk of a day that started his new beginning in life. With his little brother at his side in this world so familiar yet not, Shin never wanted to get involved, even if he knew the plot, but for his brother, he would. His companions right by his side as they did.
1. Prologue

Shin lets out a hefty huff as she—he, he's a he now—makes his way through the large forest surrounding them, his little brother safely tucked away in his arms. He tried making light of the situation and on the how of it as well but nothing came to mind. They have been here for a day already, wandering the large forest around them in search of a city or some form of civilization but still, nothing came up. With a sigh, she—he—hoists his little brother further up in his arms and continues his trek forward in silence as Nami slept away.

Only five minutes into his continued trek, he could faintly hear the sounds of splashing water. With a small tired frown, he makes his way toward the sound. He was a bit relieved to at least find a water source, no matter how weird it was to be able to hear the water at this distance, nor smell it from so far away. Or be a boy for that matter. Last he checked, he was female, yet now he isn't. Not that he minded as he never did feel any need for one gender or the other but it just added to his ever-growing confusion. He wasn't sure how far away from civilization he was nor how they even got here in the first place as he was positive that they were supposed to be dead.

There was no way they could have survived that Bastard hitting them with his truck in a hit and run. There was just no way. His body ached even more as he thought of it once again, just proving to Shin that something was not right. He had the wounds proving that he had been hit by that truck and yet he wasn't dead. The wounds were long healed over it seemed but they ached all the more.

It just didn't make sense to Shin's scrambled and hazy head.

It wasn't long after hearing the sound of water that he stumbled out of some thick foliage and around the unnaturally large trees onto a river bed. Walking a few more shaky steps, he then carefully sits down in front of a tree that had large roots looped around and in the water. Feeling Nami shift makes Shin look down to make sure he was okay.

"Wha…? Anija?" He mumbles out, his childish voice faint.

Shin shushes him as he gently rubs the boys back, being extra careful with him as he wasn't the only one with healed over wounds. Shin was just glad that he had taken the worst of it all. He wouldn't know what to do if Nami was feeling the harsh pain in his spine and neck as if it had snapped as he did. They both had massive migraines that Shin could tell was from hitting their heads too hard on the pavement from the impact. Minor breaks here and there for Nami but nothing that couldn't be fixed with some rest. He was just glad that Nami had calmed down from his crying fit earlier. From what Shin could tell, it was his head hitting the ground hard that killed him, or would have killed him? He didn't know. For Shin though, he could tell that it was his spine and neck-breaking and partially his head hitting the ground that did him in. Or would have? Ah, it was just too confusing to him right now.

He was sure his massive migraine had something to do with it.

"Shh, it is alright, Otouto, I am right here. I am just resting for now." Shin says as he slowly rocks Nami back and forth, despite the pain in his back and neck. Nami just lets out a small noise as he relaxes into Shin, hiding his face away in Shin's black long sleeve shirt once more. Shin continued to slowly rock him back and forth until he fell back asleep, which only took around ten minutes luckily.

Shin shifted slightly and rested against the tree behind him with relief. Leaning against it, he casts his eyes around himself to check the surroundings with his blurring vision. Yup, still the same unusually large oak trees and thick large leaves around them. He lets out another sigh and closes his eyes to rest them in hopes of fending off the pounding behind them. Without him realizing it though, sleep overcame him as he fell into a light doze.

It was only three hours later did he wake and it was to the sounds of bushes rustling.

Snapping his eyes open in a panic, not having realized he had fallen asleep, he shoots glances around him as he tightens his hold on his still slumbering brother. His eyes then fall onto the bushes rustling across the river, causing him to freeze. He watches as a massive jet black wolf steps out of the tall foliage and looks straight at him, the majestic beast eyes glowing a dark gold as its fur gleamed under the moon. He watches as the wolf freezes before it—his—tail moves slowly from side to side.

And then he speaks.

**"Ah… There you are, Master."**

_'What…'_


	2. (1) Of Talking Wolves and Explanations

Shin didn't know what to do as he stared at the beast across from him, only the river separating them. Even though the only outwardly shown emotion of his surprise and panic was the slight widening of his eyes and his frozen body, he was panicking on the inside. Shin didn't know if he was starting to turn insane or if this was a wild dream as he processed the wolf's words. His actions.

Tell him if he was wrong but he was certain wolves were incapable of speaking the human language.

With thoughts of how this was possible, as well as what he should do, the migraine from earlier intensifies in magnitude. He winces slightly at it as he watches the wolf step closer. Shin then unconsciously tightens his arms around Nami, causing the wolf to pause in its stride. He then speaks again.

**"I am sorry, Master. I did not mean to scare you as I mean no harm. My name is Heion. Are you aware of where you are?"** He—Heion—asks, his voice gravelly and deep. Shin stares at the wolf with a blank façade for a few seconds, bewildered before he cautiously shakes his head no. He watches with sharp, cautious eyes as Heion dips his head slightly, their eyes still locked together.

**"That is understandable for someone in your position. If you would like, I could explain it to you?"** He asks again. Shin takes his time in decided this as he didn't know if the wolf could be trusted. He was still unsure if he was still alive, leading him to believe that this could all be some kind of trial of some kind. Still, he nodded his head after a minute of silence. Some information was better than non after all. Heion just tilts his head and sits down where he stood, barely a foot away from the edge of the river. **"Alright. To be frank, you are in another world, Master."** Heion said bluntly, making Shin do a doubletake at him, his eyes going wide in bewilderment. Heion continues on as if he didn't just drop an unbelievable bomb on the man.

**"I know it is a little odd but bear with me, Master. As I have said before, I am Heion of the Okami pack, a wolf summons. My pack and I reside in a plane of existence that totters on the edge of this world and the next. Because of that, we are intimately aware when something not of one world enters the next. In this case, it would be you two. I presume you remember dying?"** Heion said, asked in a softer but firm tone at the end.

Shin just numbly nods his head at Heion's question, seeming a bit out of it as his thoughts raced even faster at what was said. **"I see. Then what must have happened was that between the travel to the pure lands, your souls must have crossed paths with a Raven which caused you two to be sent here. Correct me if I am wrong but your appearances have changed as well?"**

Shin's eyes widen a little wider as he slowly nods once more. What the wolf had said was true after all. Both Shin and Nami had changed in appearances and vocal cords. Their height seemed to be the same, as well as body mass though. It was quite worrying to Shin but that was the least of his problems right now.

**"I see. Then I will inform you that there is no need to worry. Incidents like this have happened before, no matter how rare it is. Every time it has happened, the person usually doesn't look anything like they did previously, they may not even be of the same gender or species. There is no need for concern though, it is just your soul taking over the DNA needed for changing your appearance as in this world, you have no biological parents. Why this happens is because your body is dead and it was your soul that transferred over so it needed a body to use. So, it made one for you. Though, it is not always good. Because of the interference and with you two entering this world, it can cause some bad side effects. Like deformities or illnesses, sometimes even worse. If you are feeling pain, please, consult in me and my pack."**

Silence then reigned between them after Heion finished. Shin was feeling at a loss of what to do as his thoughts raced from one to another, thinking over everything Heion had told him. He blankly stared at the wolf the entire time he thought, not feeling safe with his eyes off of him. What Heion had said did explain his situation well, even if the idea itself was bizarre. It did explain why both he and his little brother looked so different from before but still look related to each other, as well as why Shin was now a male instead of female.

Still struggling a bit to wrap his head around everything, he asked the question that kept popping up the most.

"Why help us?" He asks, voice soft and a bit shaky, if not a little raspy from misuse. Heion prowled through it like he had been expecting it. **"Because I, my pack, would like you to form a contract with us."** He says back. Shin tilts his head slightly, blank yet oh so expressive eyes narrowing. "Why?" He inquires again. "What does it entail?" Shin knew it was a little odd to ask the last question but he never claimed to be normal, nor sane for that matter. His father had all but beaten out his normalcy. At least Nami should grow up to be somewhat normal. From the slight tilt of his head, Shin knew this wasn't a question Heion had predicted so soon but the massive beast still went on in an even voice.

**"Because you are not from here. We take note of otherworlders and would like to help in any way we can as it interests us. We do not get out of our home very often. As for what this contract would entail… First off, it would give you standing in this world as you would have a whole summoning pack covering your background, as well as information, protection, and training. While I am on the topic of my pack, I will inform you that I am here with two others from my pack. They are currently on their way here as I speak. We were all searching for you."** He said before continuing. **"Now then, for information, we would help you learn of the world you are now in. For protection, we would protect you as you would be our summoner. And finally, for training, we would train you two on the ways people train here, to protect yourselves when we cannot. This world is very different from yours after all. Ninja rule night and day here."**

Shin leaned back against the tree behind him as mulled over Heion's words as the initial shock wore down. It didn't sound like a bad idea but he still wasn't certain if he could trust this beast. He would also like to think over it more when his head didn't feel like it was splitting in two. He couldn't help but ask though, "Ninja? Just where exactly am I?" Heion glances to his side before looking back at Shin. **"You are in the world that is called "Naruto" but we usually call it N31 as this is only one out of many timelines of the Naruto-Universe."**

Shin's eyes widen from their narrowed position at that as his arms go slack around the still slumbering Nami. He was in the Naruto world? While Shin had never watched the anime, nor read the manga, he was well versed in it as he just loved reading the stories people came up with for them. While he never wrote one himself, he did do some digging and learned a lot of things about the anime and manga, comparing what was canon and non-cannon just for the fun of it. He had never thought he would go into the thing though, had not even been aware it was even real.

**"Ah… You seem to know of this place."** Heion asked, though it was more like a statement, snapping Shin out of his surprised thoughts. Shin narrows his eyes once more and nodded slowly at Heion. He tried not to let it get to him that he was talking to a creature that should not speak. Knowing that he was in the Naruto world kind of softened that blow as the logic here was skewered. "Yes… It is an anime, a show to watch in my world, as well as a picture book to read, a manga they call it. While I have never seen nor read either, I am very familiar with the plot."

**"Interesting…"** Heion muttered out before being interrupted by the sound of leaves rustling, makes Shin snap his eyes to the side of Heion. Barely a second later had a slender wolf walking out. The slender wolves fur was slightly long and colored a misty white. It—her—eyes were of a misty purple mixed with green. Beside her stood a much smaller wolf, looking to be a pup. The pup's fur was a misty white, just like the female but its eyes were of different colors. Its left was blue and its right was green. Shin couldn't identify the gender of the pup.

**"Ah… I am glad to see that you found them, Heion."** The female wolf said as she gracefully walked to stand beside the still sitting wolf. Heion just nodded his head to her before looking back to Shin.

**"Master, these two here were the ones I told you about. The one beside me is called Misuto and her little brother is called Amai."** Heion explains. Shin cautiously nods his head as he looks between the wolves gathered across the river of him. It would seem the pup was a male then. Shin did his best to calm his racing heart as he shifted, hoisting Nami higher in his arms. She—Misuto—lets out a small snort.

**"I can introduce myself, Heion, but thank you. Master, it is a pleasure to finally meet you."** She dips her head in greetings, **"I assume Heion has already gone over some necessities?"** She asked. Shin cautiously nods his head again. Misuto just swerves her ears back and curls her tail. **"Good. Until daylight breaks the sky, we should get some rest then. I do not mean to burst this 'bubble' but I am sure it has been a tiring day for all of us. Before that though, Master, may we have you and your pups name?"** She asks. Shin lets out a small noise before cautiously nodding.

"My name is Uzumaki Shinraidekiru. This here is my little brother, Uzumaki Nami. It is nice to meet you three." He says slowly, voice cracking slightly from dry mouth. At the mention of sleep earlier, it seemed to make him realize he was quite tired as he felt a sudden wave of exhaustion hit him. Shin watches through half-lidded eyes as Misuto's tail wags slightly around her as she gently lowers herself to the ground. The pup—Amai—shifts for a moment before doing the same and cuddles up to her side. Heion just scoots back and lays down.

**"Uzumaki… Thank you, Shinraidekiru-sama. Now, get some rest. We will explain more when we wake."** Misuto said, her calm voice soft. Shin inclines his head slightly as he lets his eyes fall closed after a moment of staring between the wolves. While he normally wouldn't sleep in front of other people, he just felt it instinctually that they would never hurt him. He still didn't trust them though. Shin didn't know how to feel about these feelings, nor about a lot of other things but he just pushed them away and let sleep carry him into darkness.

There was always in the morning, after all.

* * *

Morning soon came in the sound of Nami letting out a terrified scream, causing Shin to bolt awake with a thundering heart and scan his surroundings. His arms looped protectively around his little brother as the boy clutched onto him tightly, shaking like a leaf as he hid his face into Shin's chest. Shin's eyes quickly caught the widened eyes of the pup from last night, Amai, in his search for threats.

Both him and Shin were frozen as they stared at one another in tense silence. Memories of last night came and went as Shin breaks the stillness around them to sooth his brother. Rubbing the boys back gently, he leans down and nuzzles his neck, the move unconscious in thought.

"Shh… It is alright, Otouto. Amai will not harm you." He says as he held the boy tightly. Nami just clutched him tighter. The sound of foliage being harshly moved made Shin snaps his gaze to the side of Amai, having never looked away from the pup, only to see both Misuto and Heion rushing through them, growling slightly.

**"What happened?"** Misuto demanded, her voice commanding. Amai jumps then and cowers, his ears back and tail between his legs. **"Nee-chan… I, um… I-I accidentally s-scared the p-pup…"** Amai stutters as he looks at Misuto and Heion before looking back at Shin and Nami. Shin watched both adult wolves relax after checking the surrounding area one last time, taking Amai's words at heart. He lets out a small sigh as he too relaxes his stiff poster, the migraine from earlier catching up to him. He hides his wince of pain and looks down as he realized Nami calming back down, though he was still shivering a bit too much for his liking. He saw Nami shift in his arms to peek out at the wolves. A look of wonder soon entered Nami's tearstained face as the child looked from one wolf to the other.

"They ta'k…?" Nami whispered, not yet having learned to pronounce his 'L's'. Shin's eyes soften then. He lets out a low hum. "Yes, little one, they talk. It would seem that our plans have changed and they will be with us for a bit." Shin said as he shifts into a more comfortable sitting position, having bolted away and shifted his position for easier access to getting up and running. He leaned heavily on the tree behind him, ignoring his aching body. Nami tears his eyes away from the wolves to look up at Shin, his eyes wide with fear and wonder.

"Changed?" He asks, his voice small as he frowns worriedly. "Otou-san isn't coming back, is he?" His lips wobble slightly as Shin hurriedly comforts his brother, ignoring the curious looks of the wolves across from them.

"No, no, Otouto, not him, never. We are free from him now. Some stuff has happened and we aren't in our home anymore. Things are going to be very different from now on, Otouto. I want you to promise me that you don't speak of anything of our past to other people, alright? We are in a very different place now." Shin says as he reaches up and wipes away the tears on Nami's face. He absently takes notice of Heion leaving before quickly coming back carrying something in his massive jaws.

He watched as Nami relaxed, relieved before he gives Shin a small, shaky smile. "Okay…" Nami whispered and then shyly turns back around to look at the wolves. Heion was now standing closer to them, on their side of the river, with a dead carcass of a deer at his feet. Shin blinked in surprise.

"What is that for?" He questions. Heion just tilts his head.

**"Breakfast, Master. After we eat, we need to find a place to hunker down for the day."** He glances up at the cloudy sky above. **"It is going to rain soon."**

Shin shifts once more, glancing up at the sky as well and nods. While he didn't know what was to come of this just yet, he had no one else but these wolves to rely on at the moment, even if he didn't trust them. He needed them if he was going to survive here. He would not have his brother living in bad conditions again. "Alright. We'll need some wood and flint rocks to start a fire to cook then." He said as he let Nami go when the boy started squirming a bit. Looking at the five-year-old, he watches him make his way over to Heion with a cautious stance, causing him to stiffen. He didn't move to grab him though, curious as to how this would end. Plus, the wolf in question made no threatening moves towards him.

Heion moves away from the carcass as he took notice of Nami's approach. He let out a small chuckle that sounded more like a rumble than anything. **"Hello, Nami-sama."** Nami's eyes were wide as he stops right in front of Heion, shaking but still standing tall as his curiosity won over his fear. Misuto and Amai looked at the scene before going about collecting some wood, like Shin had asked as the said man watches everything with caution.

"Wow… You're so pretty…" Nami mumbles, causing Heion's ears to twitch. Heion leaned down and gently nudges Nami's cheek. **"Thank you, Nami-sama."** He said as Nami let out a small giggle after flinching back in surprise. Hesitantly bringing his small hands up, he runs them through Heion's long fur when the beast made no further moves. Nami's face then flushes red.

Shin lets out a small sigh and stares in weary amusement at them as he pushes himself up to stand. He then lets out a small grunt when he stumbles slightly, the tree behind him catching him before the ground could break his fall. Letting out a huff of air, he leans heavily against the tree for support as his legs shake a bit. His body felt ablaze in soreness as his migraine became worse compiled with his lightheadedness.

**"Shinraidekiru-sama! Are you okay?"** Misuto asks as she bounds over the river in one hop, dropping the wood in a small pile close to it after. Amai was close behind her, doing the same while setting the wood he gathered there as well. Heion and Nami paused and look over before they rush over as well, Nami stumbling here and there. "Anija!" He yells worriedly. Shin just lets out a breath at all this, sweat dripping down his brow.

"Please, just call me Shin, Misuto-san. I am fine though, no need to worry. I just feel worn and sore is all." Shin said as he looked at Misuto and Amai in weariness as they stopped in front of him, Heion a little ways behind Nami. Amai then steps forward as Nami came to a stop beside Misuto.

**"U-Um… I could h-help you, I-if you would l-like, Master."** Amai said, stuttering through his words. Shin frowned slightly. "Ryo-Ninken?" He questioned, getting a shy nod in response from Amai and a flicked ear from Misuto.

"Alright," Shin said, quiet for a moment before continuing, "but heal Nami-chan after this." He said as he slowly slips back into a sitting position at the base of the tree. He didn't know if this healing would be goon on his little brother. No better way to test it unless he was the one on the receiving end, right?

**"Y-Yes Master."**

Nami lets out a sound of worry as he grabs Shin's hand tightly with both of his. They barely encased his hand with how small they were. Shin rubs Nami's head softly with his other hand in comfort. **"S-Stay still please,"** Amai says, causing Shin to nod cautiously and forcibly relax against the tree. The air around them soon changed, becoming denser as a dark green glow started to emit from Amai's front paws. Shin and Nami watched with twin looks of awe as Amai moves his paws to rest on Shin's legs. Shin's eyes widen slightly when he feels the ache in his body slowly dissipates, his migraine following quickly after.

Five minutes later had Shin actually relaxed in relief with no pounding behind his head, nor body feeling weak, his lightheadedness gone. Sure, he still hurt but it wasn't nearly as bad thankfully. "Thank you..." He says, grateful. Amai lets out a squeak as he shuffles off of him and backs up slightly, ears pointed backward.

**"Y-You're welcome, M-Master."** He stuttered. Shin absently bet that if he was a human, the pup would be blushing like crazy. Amai then turns and looks at Nami, snapping Shin out of his dazed thought. He watches as he walks over to Nami. Said boy sits down beside Shin, still holding his hand. They watched as Amai rests his still glowing paws down onto Nami's lap the same way that he did on Shin. Nami's look of awe just amplifies into disbelief then.

"Woah... The pains gone... It's gone!" Nami says, voice gradually getting excited. His uncovered eye brightens in happiness as he reaches a hand up to touch the back of his head. Shin's eyes soften at him as his heart ached before he comes to a decision. Reaching forward, he rests a hand on Amai's head and slowly rubs him behind his ears. Amai freezes at this before the pup practically melts into his touch, causing Shin to snort as he once more pushes himself up to stand. This time, he only felt a wave of light-headedness and weakened body but didn't feel like falling nor stumbling. Good.

"Thank you again, Amai." He said before looking over at Heion, said wolf already almost done on skinning the dear. When did he even start? Shin wasn't sure, leading him to believe he had a small lapse in time. Probably from the healing with how dazed he had become after it was cast. "Can any of you do fire jutsu?" He asks, pushing his lack of attention away for now. Heion paused in his work to look over at Shin. He then nods as Misuto goes over to the pile of wood and goes about organizing it into a firepit, seeing as she wasn't needed in assisting Shin. Nami was looking at Amai in wonder before letting go of Shin's hand and reaches for Amai. All too soon, Nami was smiling shyly as Amai turned to putty in his tiny hands, both effectively distracted.

**"Yes, Master, I can. Misuto has a water affinity while Amai is wind. I am fire."** Heion said as he moved away from the practically skinned deer to go over to the firepit. Shin nods as he went over to the deer, kneeling down beside it. He felt a bit grossed out but it wasn't the worst he's seen, nor will it likely be the last.

After that, Shin, Misuto, and Heion worked in silence on preparing breakfast as Nami and Amai acquainted themselves with each other. Heion started the firepit with a simple Jutsu before he went back to skin and cut the deer with the help of Shin, said man having been handed a kunai by Heion. He had decided not to ask why and how he had it, nor where it had been hidden.

Soon, the food was on sticks and cooked, ready to be eaten. By that time, an hour had passed since they woke up and the skies looked even darker than before. Sitting around the firepit, they all silently munched on their pieces of meat with Nami petting Amai as he ate. It would seem that he has taken a liking to the pup. Shin didn't know if this was a good thing or not.

They were soon done eating. Standing up after tossing his stick in the firepit, he then goes over to the river and kneels down to get a drink. He pauses though when he sees himself fully. His eyes widen in surprise at what he sees. Long red hair framed his face, hiding the right side of his face as it went down his back and a little past his butt. While he had long hair before, it was blond and never this long. Previously lightly tanned skin was now a startling pale as his once dark blue eyes were now in shades of purples and silvers. His body was roughly the same size as his other one and was on the skinny side, possibly too skinny some would say, while he had dark bags under his eyes.

He wore the clothes he was previously wearing before the crash. A long-sleeved black cardigan and skinny jeans with boots and a locket around his neck. Inside the locket was a picture of his Mother and of Nami when he was a baby.

Letting out a sigh, he continued in what he was doing and cupped his hands to drink. After that, he stood up to look over at his brother and his new companions. Heion and Misuto were working together in putting out the fire and cleaning up their tracks as Nami was focused on running his hands through Amai who was laying down in front of Nami. Shin takes the time to study Nami then, now that his head was clear and they weren't a mess.

Hair as red as his reaches the boy's shoulders, his left side a few inches longer than his right as the left side of his face was covered by his hair similar to how his was. Pale skin a bit darker than Shin's with startlingly blue and purple eyes. The boy was on the small side for his age but it was not from not caring for him. He wore a long-sleeved powder blue shirt and tights with shoes.

If Shin didn't know better, he would think Nami was his child instead of his brother with how alike they were and the 16 year age gap. Raising an eyebrow in amusement at the thought, he then stretches as he looks back up at the sky. It would rain any minute now.

"Are we done?" Shin asks, voice coming out soft and smooth now with something to soothe his throat.

**"Yes, Shinrai—Ahem… Shin-sama, we are. Let us get moving towards that cave you mentioned, Amai."** Misuto said, hiding her mispronunciation as she looked over to her content little brother.

Said pup snaps out of his dazed like state and perks up before his ears go back in embarrassment. **"A-Ah… Yes, l-lets…"** He mumbled as he quickly stands and stretches. Nami just pouts slightly but stands as well, eyes looking around them before at Shin. Shin's eye softens at Nami as he makes his way over to him. Leaning down, he picks him up as Amai trots off in the direction of the said cave, quiet with his ears back. Without prompting, Nami then proceeded to cuddle into Shin without complaint.

Silence envelopes them as they walked the fifteen minutes it took to get to the cave Misuto talked about. While they settled into their temporary home, the rain started to pour down not even five minutes into it. It would seem they had gotten lucky then. Setting up at the end of the cave, seeing as it was just a large open space after entering through the small hole in the wall, Shin sits down away from the entrance with Nami still in his arms. All Nami does is look around with wide, curious eyes, trying to see anything in the darkness surrounding them. Their only sours of light was the cave entrance. At least, that was before Heion made a fireball in the center of the cave, lighting up a pile of wood.

Shin stared at it with a blank face, looking at the pile of wood being burned with black lines underneath the new firepit. He then turns and looks at Misuto for an explanation. Misuto, at seeing this, just smiles at him, her muzzle pulling oddly. He was pretty sure it wasn't normally supposed to pull that way. At least, for non-talking animals anyway.

**"Ah, we had sealed away some wood for later usage, seeing as is was going to rain and we would need dry wood for keeping warm and cooking food. The thing underneath it is an encasement seal to keep the smoke enclosed so it doesn't overrun us and make us choke."** She explained.

Shin slowly nods in understanding as he looks back at the firepit in a new light. He absently wondered if he could learn seals one of these days, seeing as they would be here for quite a while. Misuto lets out a dainty snort then, drawing his attention back to her as she walks over to him. **"On another topic, while I will not ask you to sign the contract just yet as I would like to give you a bit of time to think over it, please keep in mind that we will be teaching you anything you would want to know. We have all kinds of people in our pack that like to branch out from the 'norm'. Take Amai for example. He's a sealer and healer instead of a fighter and hunter. Not the best at tracking either for some reason."** She said in amusement as she came to a stop in front of them.

Shin was stiff with her approach but cautiously nods his head non the less as Nami shifts in his arms. Loosening them, he waits for him to get still before replying. "I see… I will keep that in mind then." He said lowly. Misuto smiles at him once again as she sat down. **"That is all I ask. Now then, to pass the time, why don't I teach you two how to use chakra? It would be very helpful in the long scheme of things."** She said, sitting tall as she awaited his answer. Shin, on the other hand, was taken aback.

"I thought you weren't going to teach us anything until I signed the scroll?"

**"Well, not exactly. We had every intention to teach you from the beginning. We will just be teaching you the necessities of survival here instead of teaching you long term if you do not sign the contract."** She explained.

Shin frowned slightly before nodding his head in understanding. It made sense after all. After a few minutes of silence on his part, he spoke. "Alright, please teach us then." He says. She wasn't wrong, it would benefit them in the long scheme of things. Especially with how the world will be going downhill quickly soon. Or would it be soon? He needed to find the date and time period to find out. Nami shifting once more in his lap snaps him out of his thoughts as the boy turns around to lean against Shin's chest with his back. He looked around curiously once more before looking at Misuto in silent awe and slight fear.

"What's chakra?" He asks shyly to the wolf. Misuto looks down at him with gentle eyes and answers him with a soft tone.

**"Chakra is our life sours, Nami-sama. It is one of the things that keeps every living thing alive here. If we use all of it, we could perish. What I am going to be teaching you two is how to sense it, as well as use it. Now then, are you two ready?"** She asks. Shin and Nami nod, Nami looking more interested than before as she continues. **"Good. Now, close your eyes and take in a deep breath. Actively keep your breathing slow and steady. This will help your mind still. When your mind stills, it is far easier to sense chakra."** She paused, looking over Shin and Nami who had done just as she instructed, one more hesitant than the other.

She waited a few minutes before continuing. **"With calm minds, I want you to sense around inside you. It will be a little odd and you might not get it right on your first try but don't worry. It will be fine. Concentrate on your belly or chest, that is usually where chakra pools lay. It will feel warm and encase you when you feel it, or it can feel cold and electrifying, it just depends on your element. Now then, tell me if you can feel it."**

Silence then descended them as the only sound in the cave was breathing and the sounds of clicking nails against rocks. Shin did as she instructed, feeling oddly open with doing this. He didn't like the feeling but did it anyway as this would benefit them. Keeping his breathing steady, he slowly feels himself fall into a trance-like state, only focusing on his breathing as he mentally probed himself in the chest and stomach for his chakra pools. He did this for a while, not taking notice of Nami starting to shift in his lap before he suddenly jolted and lost concentration as his eyes flew open.

He stared at Misuto in confused shock as the sharp, warm feeling he had felt just moments ago receded. Misuto was staring back at him with an amused look as Heion and Amai glanced over at them from their place close to the firepit.

**"Ah… Found it Shin-sama? Don't worry, it can be a little surprising the first time you actively feel it."** She says. Shin just looks at her as he calmed down, relaxing back against the rock wall behind him. He glanced down at Nami then, only to see the boy looking up at him with a small pout. He snorts at him, causing Nami to blush and look away. Shin's eyes soften then before focusing back on Misuto when she starts speaking again.

**"Rest assured, Nami-sama, you will get it soon. You should concentrate on your breathing, possibly even count each breath as you do so. That helps as well."** She said to Nami. The boy just frowns before relaxing against Shin once more and closing his eyes to try again. Misuto then looks at Shin. **"You should try again as well, Shin-sama. This time, try not to pull away from the feel and instead embrace it. It will feel odd but you get used to it with time."** She finished. Shin nodded his head and once again, closed his eyes and concentrated on his breathing.

Today was going to be an interesting one, that was for sure.

* * *

**Hello! I hoped you liked this chapter! It was a little hard finishing this but I did it! Yay! I have a lot planned for this book so it's going to be a bit hard on me until I get through the first few chapters as I will be catching up. I got to say, Owari is the 3ed published book that I have the most trouble on, Masked falling in second. Madara-Sensei is quite easy to write as it doesn't follow any canon lines. Heh, isn't it funny that the ones that follow canon, even loosely, I have more trouble on? No? Oh well, I think it's funny. Anyway, See you on the 31st of December! Oh, and happy belated Thanksgiving!**


	3. (2) Getting Used to Them and Village

It continued to rain throughout the whole day so they decided early on to stay inside and learn how to use chakra with the help of Misuto. When lunchtime rolled around, Shin opted out of eating as he wasn't hungry. Misuto and Heion didn't pressure him on it. The day went by quickly spent in the cave, trying to find or mess around their chakra and soon night fell. By then, Shin had gotten a good grasp on his chakra pools and found that they were quite small. Misuto had said that they were the equivalent of a small pond or an Academy student. Seeing as his chakra pools were small, Shin made a mental note to research about Iryō Ninjutsu for later use as he seemed to be equipped well for that. Hopefully he had the talent for it too.

Soon, dinner came and went this time Shin eating. Nami had still not found his chakra pool but Misuto reassured him he would if he kept up his training. Darkness quickly descended and so they went to bed. The next day, Shin awoke to the sounds of clawed paws hitting the cave floor. Cracking open his eyes, he stares out at the blurry images of his new furry companions going about the cave. The scent of blood was heavy in the air as Shin woke up more. Glancing around the cave underneath his eyelashes as he kept his breathing slow and sleep like, he then blinks his eyes open fully and shifts, gaining looks from Misuto and Heion before they went back to preparing breakfast.

Shin looked down at Nami who was curled up in his arms, still deep in sleep. His eyes soften at how peaceful he looked before he looked back over the wolves working. Leaning back against the cave wall, he twists his neck to get the pain out of it with a wince. Sleeping upright may have been a bad idea. Oh well, what's done was done.

It continued like this in silence as Shin watched them work on breakfast, only an hour later did Amai appear into the cave as breakfast was just about done, the remains of yesterdays deer finally gone. Nami shifted in his arms then, causing him to look down. He watches as Nami lets out a cute yawn and stretches as best he could in his arms before he blinked blurry and hazy eyes up at him. Shin just leaned down and kissed the boys forehead, causing Nami to blush and look away, curious and embarrassed.

Loosening his protective hold on his little brother, he watches in silence as Nami slowly got up, looking at their surroundings just as Shin did when he first awakened before Nami went straight to Amai. Said pup was sitting off to the side after adding another log to the flames. Shin then glanced out the entrance to see that it was quite damp and foggy so he assumed that was the reason they were cooking inside again.

The clicking of claws coming towards him makes him sharply look in the direction of the sound, sending a quick glance to Nami to make sure the boy was okay. He spots Misuto walking to him with a hunk of meat in between her jaws. Forcing himself to relax, he takes the offered meat with a nod of thanks.

**"You are welcome, Shin-sama. How did you and Nami-sama sleep? Well, I hope."** Misuto says. Shin turns the meat over in his hands, checking it as he replies back. "It was alright." He says before taking a small bite out of the meat. He wasn't sure if it was poisoned, wouldn't be the first time after all. He didn't have to deal with that threat yesterday as he watched them cook but they were already cooking when he awoke. While his instincts told him they wouldn't do that, he just had to make sure. Once finding nothing wrong with it, Shin then takes a much bigger bite and eats.

"I-I slept okay… It… Um… It was r-really cold last night though…" Nami says, stuttering on his words as he runs a hand through Amai's soft fur, his shock and awe over the wolves dissipated, making his usual stutter come back. He smiles shyly at Heion as the wolf gave him and Amai a piece of meat. "Th-Thank you…" He says. Heion just nods and turns around, going back to grab himself a chunk and leaves the rest for Misuto.

**"That's good."** Misuto said, **"Once the pelt is cleaned, we can use the deer's fur as a blanket then. It should be done by tonight, if not sooner."** She then made her way over to the leftover meat and sat beside Heion, elegantly chomping down of her food. The cave descended into silence once more as everyone ate their breakfast. It was only after Shin was finished eating half of his food did Misuto speak up once more.

**"Since you two are going to be here for a while, why don't we come up with your cover story today? Or at least get a backdrop for it. I know you still need quite a bit of time to settle in here."** She said. Shin looked at her as he grabs his remains and puts them beside the fire. He nods slightly. "Alright. What do you suggest then?" He questions. Misuto stands as well as Heion remains seated, watching them. Nami and Amai looked at them curiously but Nami just shrugs and goes to pet Amai and munching on his food, distracting the small pup from the others.

**"Well, we can use your looks for one, as well as your last name. Uzumaki… Do you know what that means?"** She asks. Shin glances at Nami and Amai before looking back at Misuto. He nods once more. "Yes, I am aware of who they were and what they did before their destruction. Their story was quite fascinating. A shame they're mostly dead. Though, I can see where you are going with this as we probably look like Uzumaki people and have their last name." Shin said. To be frank, Shin himself was surprised when he found out his last name was the name of one of his favorite clans in Naruto. He couldn't stop smiling that day because of that fact, even when his father threw the still-hot skillet he used on dinner at him in a fit of rage.

**"I see. Then we can work with that. The only problem is it is a dangerous name. People still try to hunt the Uzumaki."** Misuto said as she moves to the entrance of the cave. Shin watches her as she does so. He tilts his head slightly. "Nothing a good cloth mask and a poncho can't fix." He said. Misuto snorts but nods anyway. **"I guess that will work. And anyway, we won't be leaving this area for a good week at least so we should not worry about that yet."** She said before looking to Amai, said pup on his side letting Nami rub his belly. Nami wore a small, goofy smile on his face as he did so. **"Otouto, can you start teaching them? I need to go out and scout the area again. Shin-sama, while you are here, we can slowly craft your cover story. So far, we have good standing. Now, if you will excuse me."**

Without waiting for a response, she darts off into the woods surrounding the cave. Amai looks embarrassed as he shifts and pushes himself into a sitting position, glancing at everyone with his ears back. He sneezes then, making Heion snort as Nami giggles. Shin just watches them with light eyes.

_'They aren't so bad, I guess…'_

* * *

After the giggling had stopped, Amai had done just as his sister had asked and started on teaching them the necessities of this world. He went on explaining how the money worked here, how people lived here, as well as how the social status and titles work. As it would turn out, a lot of things were different from what Shin had read but they were oddly the same as well. It was a bit confusing to him but with how they mentioned that this was only one out of many timelines, worlds of the anime and manga, it didn't seem too illogical. Of course, things would be a bit different here. When Shin asked about the Akatsuki and of the hidden villages, he breathed a mental sigh of relief at finding out that it was mainly the same as before.

By noon, the fog had cleared up some, prompting Amai to stop his lessons in favor of food, this time cooked outside. After lunch, Heion then took up the role of teaching them how to defend themselves. They started off slow and tripped a lot as the stances Heion showed them didn't exactly feel natural but the beast had assured him it would in time. As they practiced, with many breaks in between and a nap for Nami only two hours in, Heion went on to explain what would now be their daily routine.

When they woke up, they were now supposed to do stretches and kata, later running once they got used to the others first before they ate breakfast. After that would be when Amai would teach them about this world and its history, as well as with sealing techniques and jutsu theory. He also taught chakra theory as well. After lunch was when Heion would take control and teach them stances and kata, getting them used to the odd poses before making them run laps around the clearing until they got tired. He would then make them do workouts for strength building. He went easy on Nami, seeing as he was still a child but that mercy wasn't spared on Shin when he had confronted him on the fourth day of this.

* * *

_Shin calmed his breathing as he slowly took sips from the canteen Misuto had gotten somewhere, he still didn't know where, staring at Heion as the wolf stretched his limbs. He had noticed that Heion was being gentle with them and that annoyed Shin a bit. How was he supposed to protect his little brother if he's not being tested to his limits?_

_With that thought in mind, Shin stands up and goes over to Heion. Said beast stops in his stretches to look at him, head tilted slightly in question. **"Yes, Master?"** Heion asks, alert and ready for whatever order he might be given. Shin raises an eyebrow but doesn't question it, instead, he stops and stands in front of him, looking him directly in the eyes. "You're being gentle on us," Shin states bluntly. He watches as Heion's ears swivel backward for a moment before the wolf nods his massive head._

_**"Yes, I am Master. Is that a problem?"** He questions._

_Shin nods his head as he glances over at the lightly dozing Nami. Amai was over him as he napped, sniffing at his hair and poking him with his nose. "Yes, that is a problem but just for me. I am perfectly fine with how you treat my Otouto." He looks back at Heion as the majestic beast perks up at attention. His golden eyes were hard on Shin. **"You would like me to not go easy on you."** He questions but it was more of a statement than anything. Shin nods non-the-less. "Yes. How else am I going to protect those I cherish if I'm not pushed to my limits?"_

_It was silent between them as Heion held a surprised look on his face before his eyes narrowed and a dark gleam entered them. A cold shiver went down Shin's spine then as the wolf's muzzle pulls oddly, showing off his sharp teeth. **"Very well, Master. I shall not hold back on you then. Be ready for our next lesson within the hour."**_

* * *

Needless to say, that night Shin passed out in exhaustion instead of staying awake until he couldn't anymore. The next three days were harsh on him but Shin honestly didn't mind as it was helping him, even if he did get annoyed at times. He could already see himself improving, even if it was a little. That small bit would go a long way later. Soon, it was closing on the ninth day they'd been in this world so Misuto finally decided it was time to head into a village for supply, seeing as theirs were running out or they just didn't have some.

When Shin had asked about how they would pay for it, Amai had piped up saying he could since he liked collecting it. The coins in particular as he liked the shine they gave. Shin had just patted his head then as Nami smiled.

Packing up their belongings, which wasn't much, they headed for the village that was a couple of miles away from their cave. It took a while as Shin was still on the controlling part of his chakra so Misuto hasn't taught him how to do chakra adhesion yet. She had said that once they settling into an Inn in the village, she would though, seeing how well he could control his chakra. Nami still couldn't find his but since Heion was training him, he didn't complain as much as Shin had thought he would. If he was being honest, it seemed to make Nami even more determined to find it.

Only a few hours into their trek, they reached the village. Before they went up to the entrance though, Misuto stopped them before they could go to the entrance. Shin looked down at her with a raised eyebrow, silently questioning her as he hoisted Nami higher up his hips. The boy was teetering on the edge of sleep as he clung to Shin's shirt.

**"Sorry, Shin-sama but we're going to need to go in disguise. Luckily, this village doesn't get a lot of ninjas so we shouldn't be found out."** Misuto said before Shin heard her mutter a few words. Suddenly feeling different, he looked down at Nami and then at himself to see that they looked like normal civilians, clothes and all. They both wore standard brown hair, his long and tied up in a low ponytail with Nami's short and curly. Shin bet that their eyes were brown as well. Looking back to Misuto, he sees them looking like… Inu Shiba's? Misuto was a gray and white Shiba with Heion being a black and gray one. Amai was a solid white.

He blinked as his eyebrows raised higher before he snorted and looked back at Misuto. "Genjutsu I take it?" At her nod, he continues. "Are we ready to go then? I'm sure Nami-chan would love an Inn at the moment." Shin said. Misuto smiles, it looking even odder on the Shiba disguise she wore somehow as she nodded her head. "Then let us go. The cover story is that I'm traveling with my little brother, our parents dead from bandits. No talking unless alone with us."

His gaze drifted over them as they nodded, prompting him to shift before he made his way to the village entrance. Getting past the guards was surprisingly easy when he told them his made-up story. It would seem they took pity on them. Shin used their pity for his own gains. Once inside, they walked straight for the inn the guard gave directions for. Along the way, they looked at different stores and a lot of food shops.

One store, in particular, caught his attention. Pausing in his stride, he then turns and heads towards it instead of to the inn. This was something they needed tonight if they wanted to get a bath, a real bath, later. Walking into a clothes store, he nodded to the woman behind the counter as she said hello in greetings before making a beeline for the clothes in the back of the shop. Looking around silently, he glances at his furry companions to see them doing the same. He could hear whispers behind them and laughter, as well as cooing noises but he just ignored them and went on in his search. Finally, he spots what he was looking for.

Shifting, he holds Nami close with one arm underneath him while he reaches out and pulls a black poncho off the rack. Holding it out, he studies it. The poncho was long and angled in an arrow shape, the longest part reaching his ankles and the shortest part reaching midthigh, effectively covering his hands. While it was mainly black, it was trimmed a dark golden color at the bottom edges with small, thin strands of that gold misting and shaping and swirling around at the bottom of the poncho. Turning it around, curious about if anything was on the back, his eyes widen then at what he saw. It was of a large tree centered right in the middle of it.

* * *

_Tugging on his mother's hair lightly to get her attention, he points to the large tree in the middle of the cobbled market. The tree was of dark oak and the leaves were a vibrant dark green, gold and red and purple thin chains decorating it making it look mystifyingly beautiful. It had white cobblestone around it in a circle with flowers in the grass it set in. The flowers were of all colors and shapes and sizes as small butterflies fluttered about. On the tree's trunk were odd symbols glowing a dark golden hue._

_It was breathtaking to his six-year-old mind._

_"Kaa-san, Kaa-san. What's that?" He couldn't help but ask, his soft voice barely above a whisper. His mother still heard him over the loud crowd of people surrounding them though, many with the same red hair he sported but in different shades. His mother just smiled softly at him, her dark purple eyes lighting up and vibrant._

_"That, my dear, is the Celestial Heart. It is the heart of our land and it should never be harmed because if it is, I fear many terrible things will happen, so make sure not to go past the fence, okay?" His mother said, her voice kind and soft but stern as well. He just smiled back shyly, his light purple eyes just as vibrant as hers. "Okay! I will."_

* * *

Shin blinked a few times as a sudden wave of sadness washed over him, making his eyes water before he blinked in rapid succession. _'What was that?'_ He thought, eyebrows knitting together as the scene played out in his mind over and over. He wasn't sure what it was but it felt… like a memory.

**"Shin-sama?"**

He heard Misuto whisper. Glancing down at them, he sees they were looking back up at him with their furry eyebrows knit, just like his, in worry. He subtlety shook his head. "I'm fine." He whispered back before looking at the poncho once more. The tree looked just like the Celestial Heart, minus the chains, cobbled fence, flowers, butterfly's, and what Shin no doubt bet was Fuinjutsu carved into it. But it was defiantly the shape and size of the Celestial Heart and it just held this… Feeling to his. Shin felt like he needed this, like a longing oddly enough. With a careful hand, he lays it over his shoulder, running his hand over the soft material of the cloth before turning on his heel and headed down the aisle.

Spotting a dark purple longed sleeved turtleneck shirt, he then grabbed some pants that resembled Konoha Anbu pants but with fewer pockets. He glanced down at his feet and subsided that his boots would do for now. Grabbing a few pairs of underwear and socks, he then went over to the kid's section he spotted earlier. There was already a small family of three in this spot a little ways away from them but Shin paid them no mind, even as they glanced at him. He gently shook Nami awake, seeing as the boy had fallen into a light doze on his shoulder earlier.

Nami let out a small noise as he blinked open his eyes. He shifted in his arms before looking up with sleepy eyes. "Anija…?" He muttered. He heard the mother close to him let out a weird 'aweing' sound but he still paid them no mind. "Sorry, Otouto but I was unsure if you wanted anything specific or not," Shin responded softly. Nami shifted once more in his arms, turning to look out at the large selections of clothes. Without much thought into it, he pointed to a small dress off to the side of everything.

He then turned and curled back up into his arms, letting out a yawn and closes his eyes. Shin lets out a small sigh and grabs the item Nami had pointed at. He glanced at the couple and their kid when they started laughing, making them just smile at him before they went back to their own shopping. He was confused but brushed it off in favor of looking over what Nami chose.

The dress Nami had pointed at was more of a sweater than a dress. It had a long neck that folded over its self as a turtleneck shirt would. It was long-sleeved, skintight, and of a soft material, just like his poncho. If Shin had to guess, it would most likely stop halfway down Nami's thigh. The design of it was pretty though. It was white that slowly turned into a light blue to a dark blue as it got to the bottom. The colors seemed wispy though. Around the bottom of the dress was thin dark gold strands that danced and jumped about, making random shapes in the fabric. It was a little odd though as this seemed fit for fall and winter, not spring and summer. From what he saw on the calendar right next to the door, it was May 12th so there were still a few weeks of spring left before summer came. Why such a warm dress was here, Shin didn't know but he didn't question it.

Turning the dress over, he was only mildly disappointed to find no tree. 'Later, I'll stitch it on.' Putting the dress over his shoulder as well. He then snagged a pair of dark blue and black tights, socks, and underwear for him before making his way to the counter. Before he could leave the isle though, he spots something. Looking at it, he seems a small kid-sized poncho. It looked more like those see-through elbow raincoats he would see out in Japan. Only this one wasn't see-through. Shifting the underwear and socks in his arms with Nami, he grabs it carefully.

It was just as soft as the others and white with those same gold threads weaved about the bottom edges of it. His eyes softened before he let out another sigh and threw it onto his shoulder as well. If he was correct then this poncho would only go to Nami's elbows and angle downward, stopping just below his ribcage. It kind of reminded him of a shawl now that he thought about it.

Shifting Nami once more he then heads to the counter, at last, only stopping to grab a pair of black gloves, as well as fingerless ones. The lady at the front smiled at him as he carefully set down his clothes as to not wake the now dozing child in his arms. She just chuckled and started to ring him up. "Long day?" She whispers. Shin nods his head. "We just arrived in town and the little one is tired. I thought we could gather some more supply before checking in." He said back, voice soft but not quite being a whisper. Nami doesn't budge.

She smiles at him again before say the total amount. Reaching into his pocket as she starts bagging his items, he pulls out a wallet and takes out the needed amount. Amai had handed this to him earlier during the trip here. Putting his wallet back, he then grabs the bags and nods to the woman before turning to leave. "Have a good day, sir. Please come again and welcome to our village." She said after him.

"You as well, miss. Thank you." He responded before exiting the shop. On his way to the inn, he passed by more shops, only stopping by one to get hygiene products as he had non. He soon arrived at the inn and went right up to the man behind the desk. Nami shifted in his arms though, letting out a small grunt as the laughter around the dining area was loud. Pulling him closer to him, he rubs his back as he reaches the man. Said man just stares in surprised at them before grinning.

"Names Rex, how many nights you staying?" He, Rex, asks.

"Shin. A week, possibly two or more. Not entirely sure yet." Shin responded.

Rex snorts but grins all the more. "That's fine. It'll be a hundred yen a night." He said. Shin nods and pulls out his wallet, giving the man the correct amount of change for a week. He was then handed a key and his room number. Nodding again, he walked off to find his room. It was on the second floor, room number 34. Unlocking the door, he allows his furry companions entry before entering himself and closing the door, locking it behind him. He then looks around after walking through the small hallway. Seems standard. Just one big room with a bed in the middle of it, a dresser and a closet, as well as a small bathroom right next to the front door in the hallway.

Slipping off his boots, he then walks inside and lays the bagged clothes on the dresser. He feels Nami shift once more before he watches as Heion and Misuto go on either side of the bed and grab the edges of the blankets. They pull and walk to the end of the bed with them so Shin goes over and lays Nami down, gently unwrapping his arms that were around his neck.

Nami awoke, cracking open his eyes before Shin leaned down, swiped away the hair from his face, and kissed his forehead. Nami closed his eyes at that. "Shh, go back to sleep Otouto. We're safe." Shin muttered. Nami let out a small hum and did as Shin had asked, not opening his eyes again as his breathing leveled, signaling he was back asleep. Misuto and Heion then pulled up the blankets for Shin before hopping onto the bed gently and laying at the end. Amai jumped up then, silent and gentle, and curled up at Nami's side.

Shin just looks over them, his eyes softening. Watching them for a moment, he then glances at the bathroom before looking away and going around to the other side. He then climbs into the vacant spot, gets under the covers and curls up on his side as his muscles instantly relax. It felt like it had been years since the last time he's laid on a bed as this felt heavenly. The bath he craved could wait for a few hours of shuteye on an actual bed. He let out a yawn as he closed his eyes and fell still. After the bath, he thought, they could go out to eat too. Heaven only knows when the last time they ate something other than meat and a few edible plants Misuto found. What Shin wouldn't do for a box of Pocky or potatoes right now.

Suddenly, the bed shifted as the heavyweight of Heion and Misuto moving closer to Shin was felt. Shin stiffened but didn't move as Heion went behind him and curled up with his back to his, Misuto coming over and curling up at his stomach and chest, nudging his arm until he lifted it before laying down. Shin lowed his arm on top of her, across her neck and legs but she didn't seem to mind as she pushed her back against his chest before getting still in her semi-curled position.

It would seem that tonight they would be cuddling as well. Yesterday night had gotten a bit too cold so, after much weariness and suspicion from him, he had allowed them to come and sleep with them. Shin won't admit it but it was really warm and cozy. He could see this already turning into a habit but he didn't have the heart to say no when he knew Nami would look sad. Yesterday he was smiling so brightly at getting to sleep with them so Shin just sucked it up and let it happen. It wasn't like it wasn't comfortable anyway.

Relaxing slowly as he got used to their presence and touch, he slowly drifted off into sleep with the promise of finding Pocky later fresh on his mind.

* * *

**Notes:**

Well... Hello. Merry belated Christmas everyone and happy early new years. I am so sorry I couldn't get out a Christmas special. I was planning it but... It fell through. It would seem that doing six chapters instead of the normal three was a bad idea. I learned my lesson... The next holiday that isn't new years will be made months in advance so I should be ready by then. Now, just to go and see what's coming up.

Anyway, I hoped you liked this chapter, I have a bit of trouble with it. This month has been terrible on my drive to write. Oh well. I'll see you next month, please do tell me what you think though.

"**Next Chapter:** Shin is weary but curious as they go out shopping. Going about and getting stuff they need with new clothes on, he then decides to pick up a small job."


End file.
